BNB Chain Faces Fee Reduction Challenge: Weighing Cost-Effectiveness Against Validator Rewards

BNB Chain validators have put forward a proposal to halve the network’s minimum gas price from 0.1 Gwei to 0.05 Gwei, while also reducing block times from 750 milliseconds to 450 milliseconds title1 [ 1 ]. Announced in October 2025, this plan is designed to bring average transaction costs down to roughly $0.005, with an eventual target of $0.001 per transaction title2 [ 2 ]. This move continues a broader strategy of lowering costs, following previous reductions in April 2024 and May 2025 that dropped fees from 3 Gwei to 0.1 Gwei. Validators have also stressed the importance of keeping staking annual percentage yield (APY) above 0.5% to ensure validator rewards remain attractive while supporting ecosystem expansion title1 [ 1 ].

The proposal aims to boost

Chain’s ability to compete with fast, low-fee networks such as and Base, which have become popular among developers and high-frequency traders seeking affordable transactions title1 [ 1 ]. With current network usage below 30%, there is significant capacity to handle more transactions without sacrificing performance title2 [ 2 ]. Should these changes take effect, they could encourage greater on-chain participation and lower entry barriers for both users and developers who depend on low transaction costs.

However, validator income may decline as gas fee revenue drops. The 0.5% APY minimum is intended to help offset this, keeping staking profitable for validators while focusing on affordable user fees title1 [ 1 ]. The community is currently invited to share feedback on X, with opinions divided between supporting cheaper fees and concerns about validator earnings. A formal vote will be held after the feedback period concludes title1 [ 1 ].

BNB Chain’s opBNB layer-2 network already offers transaction fees around $0.005, illustrating that the proposed changes are achievable title5 [ 4 ]. Analysts point out that while BNB Chain generated $194.78 million in fees in 2024—an 8.7% year-over-year increase—this still trails behind

($2.48 billion) and ($2.15 billion), highlighting the urgency for further fee reductions to maintain competitiveness. The proposal could escalate the race among 1 blockchains, pushing others to further cut costs and improve throughput.

This initiative is part of a wider industry movement toward greater accessibility, with Layer 2 solutions like Base and

also working to lower transaction expenses. BNB Chain’s commitment to reducing fees to $0.001 is in line with its goal of supporting widespread microtransaction adoption, a key factor in challenging traditional payment networks. If the proposal succeeds, BNB Chain could emerge as a top choice for applications that demand fast and inexpensive transactions.